Demountable partition wall



United States Patent Ofice Patented Nov. 3, 1970 3,537,219 DEMOUNTABLEPARTITION WALI. William J. Navarre, River View, Mich., asslgnor oftwenty-five percent to Prudent 0. Blancke, Wayne,

Mich.

Filed Aug. 30, 1968, Ser. No. 756,514 Int. Cl. E04b 1/06, 2/78 US. Cl.52--213 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE It is an object of thepresent invention to provide a demountable partition wall for usebetween floor and ceiling which employes floor and ceiling channelsadapted to receive and support and secure a series of longitudinallyspaced studs of H-shape in cross section.

It is another object to provide an improved form of floor and ceilingchannel which includes opposed right angular wall board supporting andretaining flanges by which the wall board may be easily disasembled fromthe wall construction for reuse and to aid in assembly.

It is another object to provide an improved stud for said partition wallwhich includes reverse turned clip edges on the flange portion thereofand the use of channel trim moldings for the upright side edges of thewall boards which enclose the same and are frictionally interlocked withsaid stud clip edges.

It is another object to provide in said partition wall a novel form ofsnap-on door jam construction of a channel formation and includingchannel shaped marginal portions adapted for frictional interlock withthe adjacent clip edges of one stud.

It is another object to provide within said partition wall an improvedwindow sill or divider wall partition sill adapted for easy interlockand mounting upon horizontally disposed similar stud interposed betweena pair of upright studs for mounting a window or a divider wall element.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specificationand claims in conjunction with the appended drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary partially broken away vertical section of thepresent partition wall.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary section taken in the direction of arrows 22 ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating a connection of snapon doorjam.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section of a horizontally disposeddivider stud with detachable window sill or one half divider wallpartition sill.

Referring to the drawing, the present demountable partition Wall, FIG.1, is adapted for use between floor F and ceiling C. Elongated floorchannel 12 includes a base 14 secured to the floor by fastener 16. Sideedges of the base are covered upwardly and inwardly at 18 merging withupright side walls 20 which terminate at their upper edges in theopposed wall board support trim flanges 22.

A series of pairs of longitudinally spaced tabs 24 are struck from thebase of said channel and project upwardly as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Ceiling channel 26 overlies floor channel 12 and includes base 28 whichbears against said ceiling and is secured thereto by fastener 16.

The ceiling channel includes upright sides 30 which terminate in thedownwardly opening right angular wall board top support flanges 32.

The ceiling channels have formed longitudinally therein a series oflongitudinally spaced pairs of depending struck out stud spacing andlocating and securing tabs 24, which are in opposed vertical registrywith the corresponding pairs of stud locating and mounting tabs 24within the floor channel 12.

A series of longitudinally spaced upright studs 34 of H-shape in crosssection, see FIG. 2, are mounted with their respective ends nested andprojected into the floor and ceiling channels and with their centralwebs 36 projected into and between the adjacent pairs of spacing andlocating tabs 24 on said channels and suitabl interlocked therewith.

The respective studs, FIG. 2, include the opposed elongated flanges 38whose outer are reverse turned defining clip edges 40 having someflexibility.

The respective clip edges 40 include the elongated upset bead portions42.

The raceway 44 is formed through the respective stud webs providing ameans for passing utility wires or the like1 as desired for concealingthe same within a partition wa A series of conventional wall boards, 46,such as are available on the market, are mounted in an upright posit1onso as to bear against the stud flanges, 38, supported at their loweredges within the bottom channel trim flanges, 22, and retained withinthe trim flanges, 32, of the ceiling channel, 26, FIG. 1.

A suitable clearance space, 48, is provided above the top edges of thewall boards, 36, FIG. 1, to provide a means by which said wall boardsmay 'be elevated initially for disassembly and reuse as desired withrespect to the floor channel trim flanges and support flanges, 22. Thisconstruction provides for easy assembly and disassembly as desired, andfor reuse of the respective parts without damage thereto.

As show in FIG. 2, elongated snap-on moldings 50, of channel formenclose the outer upright edges of the wall boards 46, and include aninner flange with longitudmal bead 52, as desired for frictionalinterlock with and snug projection into the adjacent edge clips 40, ofthe adjacent stud for removable interlock therewith.

The trim moldings, 50 of an. adjacent pair of wall boards are uniformlyspaced apart and define a utility channel which may be employed asdesired for wires and other connections instead of the raceway, 44,FIG. 1. A suitable finish molding 54, spans the utility channel, FIG. 2,and includes a pair of parallel spaced flanges, '56, which are adaptedto snap into the said utility channel in snug frictional engagement withthe adjacent trim moldings 50.

FIG. 3, fragmentarily illustrates a snap-on removable door jam 58adapted to receive the door D fragmentarily shown.

The said door jam includes a channel body and a cenfral elongated outerdoor receiving stop 60 of rectangular shape in cross section. Theopposing side edges of said body are flanged at 62 and terminate in thereverse formed channel clips 64. These channel clips frictionallyproject into the stud clip edges, FIG. 3, for interlock therewith. Theconstruction of the clip '64 is the same as shown and may include thehead 52 for increased frictional look at the edge clip, such asillustrated in FIG. 2. Such beading however, can be omitted if desiredrelying solely upon a frictional interlock. The assembly is furthercompleted by the use of a spacer block or the backing block 66 which isinterposed between the outer pair of stud flanges 38. Jack screw 68 ismounted centrally through the door stop 60 and includes an adjustablenut portion 70 which compressively engages backing block 66 and whichassists and functions for the purpose of securing the snap-on door jamin the assembled relation shown on FIG. 3. g y

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section illustrating the removablewindow sill or half divider wall partition sill at 72 which is removablymounted upon and interlocked with a horizontally disposed stud 34similar to the first mentioned studs 34 of FIG. 2. g

In such construction, the stud 34, FIG. 4, is interposed between a pairof upright studs and intermediate to floor and ceiling with respectiveends of said stud interlocked and suitably secured to the correspondingvertical studs.

The s'ill assembly 72 includes a body of channel form which includesside flanges 74 and reverse turned securing clips 76 which frictionallyproject up into the corresponding adjacent clip edges of the horizontalstud.

The assembly is similar to the door jam shown in FIG. 3, except in placeof the door stop 60 of FIG. 3, central portion of the body of the sillincludes an elongated slotted portion 78 of rectangular cross sectionadapted to receive the glass window 80 or other half dividerfragmentarily shown.

The assembly ofthe sill 72 with respect to the horizontal stud 34 isfurthermore completed by the use of a similar jack screw 68 whichextends through the base of the slotted portion 78 and adjustablyprojects the nut assembly 70against the corresponding backing block 66which bears against the stud web and is interposed be tween itsrespective flanges, FIG. 4. The above described pairs of tabs 24projecting from the respective floor and ceiling channels serve toautomatically center the vertical studs to provide a means of securingthe same in upright position within the said channels. T

The ceiling channel 26 is of such construction as to provide a trim lineat ceiling elevation without additional trims being required.

The formation on the respective trim and support and retaining flanges22 and 32 of the respective floor and ceiling channels provides a meansby which the wall panels or wallboards 46 may be readily removable andcompletely recoverable in the present partition construction.

The floor channel, 12, provides a completely finished base wall trim andin view of the cove construction 18, facilitates cleaning and floormaintenance. I

The construction of the'trim moldings '50, FIG. 2, and the correspondingclip edges 40, permit the said trim moldings to be easily removable andreplaceable. The trim moldings 50, define the utility space, FIG. 2,which can be conveniently closed by the additional finish molding, 54,and facilitate the wiring of electrical outlets, phone outlets or heatcontrol and so forth and can be used instead of the raceway, 44, shownin FIGS. 3 and 4 for this purpose and thus provides a means to eliminatethe raceway, 44, and possible damage caused to the webbing by cuttinginto them and alsothis is a labor saving means 'by which all thematerials and elements of the partition wall are recoverable andreusable.

The present partition wall is designed to be labor saving at initialinstallation and for its recovery of materials and elements which is onehundred per cent and may be simply demounted and reconstructed with theminimum amount of labor.

The present vertical studs are of such construction as to convenientlyaccept and be interlocked with snap-ondoor jam such as shown in FIG. 3and for use and interlock with a horizontal stud of similar constructionfor providing for a window sill or a half divider wall partition sillinterlocked therewith.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. In a demountable partition wall, for use between a floor and aceiling;

an up-turned floor channel on and secured to said floor;

a down-turned ceiling channel on and secured to said ceiling overlyingthe floor channel;

a series of longitudinally spaced opposed upright pairs of stud spacingtabs struck out and projecting from said channels;

a series of longitudinally spaced upright studs of H-shape incross-section, having a central web and marginal flanges, said marginalflanges being elongated and having reverse turned outer edges definingclip edges having some flexibility, said clip edges including elongatedupset bead portions, with their respective stud ends projected into saidchannels and their webs interposed and retained between said pairs oftabs;

said tabs automatically centering said studs;

said floor channel including a base 'having opposed upwardly andinwardly coved. side edges which merge into upright parallel side wallswhich terminate at their upper edges in opposed wall board supportingtrim and retaining flanges,'and.

said ceiling channel including elongated opposed right angular wallboard supporting and retaining trim flanges spaced from the studflanges;

and upright wall boards bearing against said stud flanges supported andretained alongtheir top and bottom edges within said channel flangesrespectively.

2. In the demountable partition wall of claim 1, said trim flanges onsaid ceiling channel defining a clearance space above the wall boardwhereby, the wall board may be elevated for disengaging its lower edgefrom the floor channel trim flange to facilitate assembly anddisassembly of said wall boards.

3. In the demountable partition wall of claim 1;

an upright snap-on door jamb mounted upon and interlocked with andparallel to a stud, and including a channel body having an elongatedouter door receiving stop of rectangular cross-section with the opposingedges of said body being flanged and terminating in reverse formedchannel clips having an inner flange snugly and removably interlockedwithin an adjacent pair of clip edges respectively.

4. In the demountable partition wall of claim 1;

a horizontally disposed stud of the same construction as the uprightstuds, extending between and secured to a pair of adjacent upright studsintermediate said floor and ceiling;

and a snap-on divider sill mounted over and upon and interlocked withand parallel 'tosaid horizontal stud and including a channel body havingan elongated upwardly opening divider receiving slot, with its oppositeedges being flanged and terminating in reverse turned channel clipshaving an inner flange snugly and removeably interlocked within theadjacent horizontally disposed pair of clip edges of said horizontalstud.

5. In a demountable partition wall,for use between a floor and aceiling;

an up-turned floor channel on and secured to said a down-turned ceilingchannel on and secured to said ceiling overlying the floor channel;

a series of longitudinally spaced opposed upright pairs of stud spacingtabs struck out and projecting from said channels;

a. series of longitudinally spaced upright studs of H-shape incross-section, having a central web and marginal flanges, with theirrespective stud ends projected into said channels and their websinterposed and retained between said pairs of tabs;

said tabs automatically centering said studs;

said floor and ceiling channels including elongated opposed rightangular wall board supporting and retaining trim flanges spaced from thestud flanges;

and upright wall boards bearing against said stud flanges supported andretained along their top and bottom edges within said channel flangesrespectively;

the marginal flanges of each stud including an elongated reverse turnedflexible clip edge;

and opposed upright trim moldings of channel form snugly mounted overand enclosing the upright side edges of each wall board;

said trim molding including an inner flange projected into and alongsaid clip edges and frictionally and removeably interlocked therewith.

6. In the demountable partition wall of claim 5, the trim moldings uponthe side edges of an adjacent pair of wall boards being uniformly spacedto define a utility channel;

and an elongated trim molding overlying the outer edges of said adjacenttrim moldings closing said utility channel and including a pair ofparallel spaced mounting flanges snugly projected into said utilitychannel frictionally along and against said trim moldings respectively.

7. In a demountable partition wall, for use between a floor and aceiling;

an up-turned floor channel on and secured to said floor;

a down-turned ceiling channel on and secured to said ceiling overlyingthe floor channel;

a series of longitudinally spaced opposed upright pairs of stud spacingtabs struck out and projecting from said channels;

a series of longitudinally spaced upright studs of H- shape incross-section, having a central web and marginal flanges, with theirrespective stud ends projected into said pairs of tabs;

said tabs automatically centering said studs;

said floor and ceiling channels including elongated opposed rightangular wall board supporting and retaining trim flanges spaced from thestud flanges;

and upright wall boards bearing against said stud flanges supported andretained along their top and bottom edges within said channel flangesrespectively;

the marginal flanges of each stud including an elongated reverse turnedflexible clip edge;

an upright snap-on door jamb mounted upon and interlocked with andparallel to a stud, and including a channel body having an elongatedouter door receiving stop of rectangular cross-section with the opposingedges of said body being flanged and terminating in reverse formedchannel clips having an inner flange snugly and removeably interlockedwithin an adjacent pair of clip edges respectively;

a backing block extending between said clip edges and bearing againstthe stud web;

and a jack screw means moveably mounted through 6 said door stop andcompressively bearing against said backing block. 8. In a demountablepartition wall, for use between a floor and a ceiling;

an up-turned floor channel on and secured to said floor;

a down-turned ceiling channel on and secured to said ceiling overlyingthe floor channel;

a series of longitudinally spaced opposed upright pairs of stud spacingtabs struck out and projecting from said channels;

a series of longitudinally spaced upright studs of H- shape incross-section, having a central web and marginal flanges, with theirrespective stud ends projected into said channels and their websinterposed and retained between said pairs of tabs;

said tabs automatically centering said studs;

said floor and ceiling channels including elongated opposed rightangular wall board supporting and retaining trim flanges spaced from thestud flanges;

and upright wall boards bearing against said stud flanges supported andretained along their top and bottom edges within said channel flangesrespectively;

the marginal flanges on each stud including an elongated reverse turnedflexible clip edge;

a horizontally disposed stud of the same construction as the uprightstuds, extending between and secured to a pair of adjacent upright studsintermediate said floor and ceiling;

a snap-on divider sill mounted over and upon and interlocked with andparallel to said horizontal stud and including a channel body having anelongated upwardly opening divider receiving slot, with its oppositeedges being flanged and terminating in reverse turned channel clipshaving an inner flange snugly and removeable interlocked within theadjacent horizontally disposed pair of clip edges of said horizontalstud;

a backing block extending between said latter clip edges and bearingagainst the adjacent stud web;

and a jack screw means manually moveably mounted through said channelbody at its slot and compressively bearing against said backing block.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 696,110 3/1902 Smith 522171,133,138 3/1915 Henderson 52241 2,187,752 1/1940 Olsen 52481 2,277,7923/ 1942 Small 52489 2,766,855 10/ 1956 Johnson et a1 52242 X 3,290,84712/ 1966 Fenwick 52489 3,339,324 9/1967 Stackhouse 52241 3,429,0902/1969 Mettelnick 52489 X ALFRED C. PERHAM, Primary Examiner US. Cl.X.R.

